Stapler

ABSTRACT

A stapler modified to feed reinforcing tape to one or both sides of the material being stapled, prior to stapling. The stapled reinforcing tape is cut after stapling by a cutter pivotally attached to the stapler.

United States Patent Kwong Li Lou Inventor c/o Air As'n Company. Quality Control Division. Tainan. Taiwan. China Applv No. 807,785

Filed Mar. 17, 1969 Patented Aug. 3, 1971 STAPLE]! 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Ffis.

int. v B25: 5/02 FieldolSeareh 227/15, 16,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1939 Maiben 227/76 X l0/l94l Clancy 227/76 2/ 1942 Maynard 227/134 6/1944 Swett et al. 227/76 X 8/1961 Mackechnie 227/76 5/ 1967 Adams 227/ 76 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney-Fulwider, Patton, Rieber, Lee & Utecht ABSTRACT: A stapler modified to feed reinforcing tape to one or both sides of the material being stapled, prior to stapling. The stapled reinforcing tape is cut after stapling by a cutter pivotally attached to the stapler.

PATENTED AUG 3l97l 7 l nu 1- n n "11.1 Ira-nun.

FIG

INVENTOR STAPLER Arpair-of supports 22 (FIG. 6) extend from one end of the actuating lever 9. A bracket'23 is pivotally attached between BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY bFTl-IE INVENTION" It has, been found that the stapled area of stapled material-is easily damaged. The top and bottom surfaceoften become;

tom or separated from the staple after being used or after a long period of time, especially when the staplehas. become rusted and the paper is thin or of poor quality. Also, in stapled documents of only a few pages, such as memoranda, and the like. in which the staple is removed and replaced from time to time, the stapled area rapidly becomes unusable.

This invention provides a roll of reinforcing tape disposed to cover one or bothof the outer surfaces of the stapled area of 1 the article being stapled. The reinforcing tape is eontained'in a tape supply and fed therefrom cutter blade thestapling position; The stapled tape is cut by means of a cutter'pivotally' mounted on the stapler.

The invention may be-more readilyunderstood by referring to thezaccompanying drawing.-

DESCRIPTION'OF THE-DRAWING I 'FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a stapler with reinforcing'ltapen FIG. 2 is a view, taken along lines 2-'-2 of FIG; I; FIG. 3 is a view, taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1; V FIG. 4 is a view in section taken along lines 4-4 of EIGL I;

FIG. 5 is a'partialiview, in sectiomtakenalonglines 5-5 of FlG.I;nd Q I FIG. 6 is a partialvjew, takenalonglines6-6of FIG-.1. 5

DESCRIPTION THE PREFERREDEMBODMEN-T Referringto FIG. 1, a stapler'isashown comprising-abase E3 carrying abaseplate 12 having two upstanding, flanges, m towhich a staple magazine'll-and. an actuating levee-'9 are. pivoted. The actuating levercarriesa.- resilient'elenrentt 8= to;

whicha-stapledriver'7- is connected and which-serveslto retur'rrand maintainrthe magazine 11 and'.actuating lev'er9 -in.normal' spaced relationrelative to plate. IZr'I hemagaZineJI I contains a. staple, guide 40. and, a staplefeed: spring 4-1.5 The: actuating lever 9' carriesa handjor fingerpad;39, andabaseplater lmrnayi have astapleremover 42: secured thereto; The plate: fZcarri'es staple-clenching meansv 20.. All of the foregoing elementszare:

conventional and, interact in a :wel l-knownmanner to-feediand' setastaple upon manualdepressionofthe pad'39 on l'ev'er-9i' A tape holder 14 having an openable cover isattachedi tothe, base-13'by ahinge: 15. A supply, ofreinforcing'tape 1 6*in5 the. tape holder 1.4 passesthrougha; slot. (not shown)": in the tapeholder 14 intothe base 13,,andi throughan outletislottlfli'.

' therein, through which the tape 16 passesiFIGi;l):.l3lG2i&il

lustrates, in section, the relativecon'struction andzdisposition':

of-thespring-strip 18 with respecttozthe-remaining-portionszofi the-stapler=of FIG. 1. The springstrip.l8-stops:shortofthmsta+- ple-driver 7to permit free,passageof therstaple;.and tliezendbfi thetapeis-passed betwcenthesideguidesshowmuBetweemthe" staple:clenching:means20 and :the-slotzl7 'theree-is' a' tape-guid'er 21, which; forms: a, horizontal slot: on the: baseplatewlt, shown inacross section ind-T16; 4; The tape, after-passingm ward throughjslotz 17, passes throughztheztapes guide 233% antfi over: the ,staple'clenching means20. .Duringatapling; thetape:

l6isstapled to the bottom ofithei'materialibeingstapledi thesupports-22by an axle 24'. As shown in the FIGS. 1 and 6,

a cutter blade25- and a handle 26 are attached to the bracket normally urges the cutter blade 25 awayrfrom the -ba'seplate' 12, into the-position shown in FIG. 1 :Th handle '26 is substantially perpendicular to the actuatinglever 9 in this position; so that the cutter blade 25 and-handle 26 do not obstruct the' staple -area in the event the stapler should become jammed; Rotation of the handle 26 also rotates the cutter bladeZS, asshown by the dotted lines of FIG. 1. Two'stops 28, located on the sides'of the bracket -23,-engage' the lower edges of the supports 22- tolimit rotation of the' cutter in a counterclockwise direction, when the handle 26 is depressed to 'a position' substantially above a cutting slot 30, tobe later described.

A bar 29, extending-between thesupports 22, is engaged by the center portion, of the spring 27" whose ends" engage the bracket 23 to bias it and the cutter blade 25into the position of 1 16. 1. 'lh'ecutter'blade edge may be in the form of teeth or a curved blade, ifdesired, for more effective cutting.

In the baseplate IZ -t'here is acutting slot-30, shown in FIGS.

, pair'ofholesiilon theba'seplate I2 permit the'pins' 31 to pass through the: baseplate IZ' toengage a locl'c'plat'e' 331 1 (FIG. 5'). A. pairofactuating rods 33, slid'ably engagingfour supports 34; are connectedi'b'etween' theloek plate 331i and two bellcranlts35, whoseftilcrumspivot on a-rod'36.'A spring 37 nor- I mally"urges t-h'elock plater33'atoward the teeth onthe pins 31.

A loclr 3&1ofany'conventional designgiwhich'when released permitsaccess to load staples and 'thelike in the device, retains the tape holder 14 in the released. 7

In. operation, staples (not shown) are ejected from and drivembythe-staple driver7'when'the'actuatin'g lever 9is compnessediagai'nsts the staple magazine I1". Tape 16 is positioned onaeiti'terthe staple-clenching means20or the springst'rip 1'8,

or onrboth; as desired; The tape or tapes-are then stapled 'with 5 .thematerial'zbeing'st'apled, coincidentalwith'stapling, by asinglee-staple. Meanwhile, the springIstripIS'also' moves toward the: base: 13,. causing the pins 31'; to. extend further through liol'esr32 on' the baseplate l=2 and engage the lock plate 33a. Thezspring strip 18 'is thereby locked inits'down position; The

rteeth=of5 thedepcndingpinsmay have-1 varied spacing,.acc'ord'-- in'gz'totherdifferent thickness of'the material. to be stapled. Whemtlie actuating lever'9 is released;.the spring strip 18 is held iir its down position-to avoid'extendingtheupper tape, if

used', Thestapled material; with the tape attached, is then 3 removedfrom'thestapler'tothe extent necessary to clear the cuttingrslot The handle 26 i's'the'nrotated to place the cutterrbla'd'e25-in'cutting%position with:the stops 28-engaging the lowerred'ges: of'tlie'supports 22; The actuating lever) is thenaagainzcompressedagainst?the stapleimagazine' l1 and the cutter-blade:ZFpasses-throughtlietap'eas'the bladeenters the cutting; slot 30*, thereby" severing the" stapled tape from the remaining tape-supply: 16-. The cutter blade 2'5 then engages the? bellcrarrli 35', .oausingtlielock-ing'plate 33'a 'to disengage fror tr the-ratcheti teeth of pins 3 1." The length of the cutterliladeis isselectedso as topermit'the-teethofpins31 to clear theikacliiig plate33a :prior-rto releaseofi'the bellcrank by the cutterrbladez whenitheicompressiveforce, preferably appliedito tl'ie:-hantlle isreleased; the-entire assembly returnsto the"=position' shown in' F 1', andisready foranother" The. tape- 16 maybeazdouble tape: Afterpassing; upwardi 70. staplingoperatiort:

through; theslot:- 1? on. the base,- the='two tapes. are them separated; one passing through :the/ tapeweeeivingcsldh l 'im springstrip l8, andzthe otherthroughctapeguideszlz JfiiSLIChlflitape embodiment; tapeis stapled :ataboth-thetop and bottomi of the material beingstapled.

Whileaparticularembodiment ofia'stapler'has been shown, such'isi fonpurposesoFillustratiomonly. The'invention may be used generally with any; stapler; inasmuch as-such' structural operative position unless- I claim:

1. in a stapler having a base with staple-clenching means thereon, a staple magazine pivotally mounted on said base, and an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said base above said magazine and carrying a staple driver above said stapleclenching means driving a staple from said magazine through material to be stapled and against said staple-clenching means, the combination therewith of:

a source of reinforcing tape;

means passing said tape from said source between said staple-clenching means and said staple magazine so that it will vbestapled to a surface of the material being stapled;

a cutter blade pivotally mounted on said actuating lever and rotatable relative thereto;

and means in said stapler base alignable with said cutter blade and cooperating therewith to sever the stapled portion of the tape from the tape source when said cutter blade is rotated relative to said actuating lever into alignment with said cooperating means and said actuating lever is moved toward said base.

2. The combination of claim 1, and in which the tape source is a holder pivotally attached to the stapler base remote from the cutting position and in which the tape-passing means includes a tape inlet in the stapler base adjacent the holder for receiving tape from the holder, and a tape outlet disposed between the inlet and the stapling position.

3. The combination of claim 1, and including:

a spring strip mounted beneath said staple magazine at one end adjacent the magazine pivot, said passing means passing said tape above said spring strip;

locking means connected between the spring strip and the stapler base and having an unlocked state in which the spring strip is positioned adjacent the staple magazine and a locked state in which the spring strip is held adjacent the stapler base, said locking means being operable, when staples are driven from the staple magazine, to lock the spring strip in its locked position; and

means operable in response to the operation of the cutting means to unlock said locking means.

4. The combination of claim 2 in which the tape-passing means includes a tape guide on the stapler base between the stapler base tape outlet and the stapling position.

5. The combination-of claim 3 in which the tape-passing means includes a tape-receiving slot formed in the spring strip for receiving tape from the stapler base tape outlet and the spring strip is adapted to guide tape from the stapler base tape outlet which passes through thev spring strip tape slot past the stapling position and the cutting position in sequence.

6. The combination of claim 3 in which the tape-passing means includes a tape guide on the stapler base between the stapler base tape outlet and the stapling position and a tapereceiving slot formed in the spring strip for receiving tape from the stapler base tape outlet,, and the spring strip is adapted to guide tape from the stapler basetape outlet which passes through the spring strip tape slot past the stapling position and the cutting position in sequence. u 7. The combination'of claim 3, and in which the locking means includes:

a pair of ratchet pins attached to the spring strip and extending toward the stapler base; a pair of apertures disposed in the stapler base so as to receive the ratchet pins during staple drive; I

a locking bar disposed within the stapler base and operable to be moved between a first position, in which the locking bar engages the ratchet pins to place the locking means in its locked state and a second position in which said locking bar is disengaged from said ratchet pins to place the locking means in its unlocked state;

means for normally urging the locking bar into its first position; and

said means to unlock the locking means including a member operable upon contact with the cutting means to overcome said urging means and move the locking bar into its second position.

The combination of claim 7, and in which the tapepassing means includes a tape guide on the stapler base between the stapler base tape outlet and the stapling position.

9. The combination of claim 7, and in which the tapepassing means includes a tape-recording slot formed in the spring strip for receiving tape from the stapler base tape outlet and the spring strip is adapted to guide tape from the stapler base tape outlet which passes through the spring strip tape slot past the stapling position and the cutting position in sequence.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 596, 820 Dated August 3. 1971 Inventofls) Kwong Li Lou It is certified that error appears in the abovevidentified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 17, delete "cutter blade" and insert --past-; same column, line 30, change "nd" to --and-.

Column 2, line 14, after "cutter" insert --blade 25;

same column, line 25, change "than" to ---the nsame column,

line 53, change first occurrence) to Column 4, line 37, change "recording" to receiving-.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of February '1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.F'LETCHER,J'R. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. In a stapler having a base with staple-clenching means thereon, a staple magazine pivotally mounted on said base, and an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said base above said magazine and carrying a staple driver above said staple-clenching means driving a staple from said magazine through material to be stapled and against said staple-clenching means, the combination therewith of: a source of reinforcing tape; means passing said tape from said source between said stapleclenching means and said staple magazine so that it will be stapled to a surface of the material being stapled; a cutter blade pivotally mounted on said actuating lever and rotatable relative thereto; and means in said stapler base alignable with said cutter blade and cooperating therewith to sever the stapled portion of the tape from the tape source when said cutter blade is rotated relative to said actuating lever into alignment with said cooperating means and said actuating lever is moved toward said base.
 2. The combination of claim 1, and in which the tape source is a holder pivotally attached to the stapler base remote from the cutting position and in which the tape-passing means includes a tape inlet in the stapler base adjacent the holder for receiving tape from the holder, and a tape outlet disposed between the inlet and the stapling position.
 3. The combination of claim 1, and including: a spring strip mounted beneath said staple magazine at one end adjacent the magazine pivot, said passing means passing said tape above said spring strip; locking means connected between the spring strip and the stapler base and having an unlocked state in which the spring strip is positioned adjacent the staple magazine and a locked state in which the spring strip is held adjacent the stapler base, said locking means being operable, when staples are driven from the staple magazine, to lock the spring strip in its locked position; and means operable in response to the operation of the cutting means to unlock said locking means.
 4. The combination of claim 2 in which the tape-passing means includes a tape guide on the stapler base between the stapler base tape outlet and the stapling position.
 5. The combination of claim 3 in which the tape-passing means includes a tape-receiving slot formed in the spring strip for receiving tape from the stapler base tape outlet and the spring strip is adapted to guide tape from the stapler base tape outlet which passes through the spring strip tape slot past the stapling position and the cutting position in sequence.
 6. The combination of claim 3 in which the tape-passing means includes a tape guide on the stapler base between the stapler base tape outlet and the stapling position and a tape-receiving slot forMed in the spring strip for receiving tape from the stapler base tape outlet, and the spring strip is adapted to guide tape from the stapler base tape outlet which passes through the spring strip tape slot past the stapling position and the cutting position in sequence.
 7. The combination of claim 3, and in which the locking means includes: a pair of ratchet pins attached to the spring strip and extending toward the stapler base; a pair of apertures disposed in the stapler base so as to receive the ratchet pins during staple drive; a locking bar disposed within the stapler base and operable to be moved between a first position, in which the locking bar engages the ratchet pins to place the locking means in its locked state and a second position in which said locking bar is disengaged from said ratchet pins to place the locking means in its unlocked state; means for normally urging the locking bar into its first position; and said means to unlock the locking means including a member operable upon contact with the cutting means to overcome said urging means and move the locking bar into its second position.
 8. The combination of claim 7, and in which the tape-passing means includes a tape guide on the stapler base between the stapler base tape outlet and the stapling position.
 9. The combination of claim 7, and in which the tape-passing means includes a tape-recording slot formed in the spring strip for receiving tape from the stapler base tape outlet and the spring strip is adapted to guide tape from the stapler base tape outlet which passes through the spring strip tape slot past the stapling position and the cutting position in sequence. 